published about 1 hour ago
As the founder of her own home decor consulting business, Maggie Antalek knows a thing or two about how to maximize her resources to make something look picture-perfect. Case in point: Her boho-chic, 600-square-foot apartment in the Big Apple’s Lower East Side. While it may be a tad tiny, her apartment packs a lot of colorful style. “I would say I have made my apartment look and feel like a fantastic home without the huge price tag,” Antalek proudly points out. “When your space is small, you’ve gotta get creative to make it feel like an enjoyable, productive place.”
We agree! We took the tour, and we absolutely love how much personality Antalek has infused into her space! Plus, while we were scoping out the apartment, we also spied five really useful kitchen storage tips worth stealing. Follow us, and we’ll tell you all about them!
1. Use the wall space above your oven.
With such a tiny kitchen, Antalek uses the blank space above her oven to store her most-used kitchen items, including her oven mitt, oversized spoon rest, and rolling pin. By hanging items against the wall, she knows exactly where things are when she needs them, and they add charm to her cooking space. “It’s a small space, but I have optimized every area for storage,” explains Antalek, who shares her apartment with a roommate.
It’s a little thing, but hanging plants add plenty of visual interest while taking advantage of the empty vertical space. “Plants add color to your home even if you stick to neutrals, bring life into your space, and create an environment that is nurturing,” she says. As a reminder to care for them, Antalek keeps a beautiful watering can perched on the windowsill ready to go.
3. Store tools in a utensil crock.
Antalek places all of her most-used tools in a large, convenient utensil crock within easy reach of the stove (it sits on her windowsill). Storing everything in a crock keeps spoons and spatulas handy and can be especially useful if drawer space is scarce.
4. Tuck away a folding step stool.
Antalek makes use of a foldable step stool (usually propped against her oven) to reach all of the tall storage areas in her home, including her floating wall shelves holding pretty wine glasses, favorite cookbooks (brilliantly!) wedged in the narrow slot above the fridge, and cooking gadgets stowed away in her upper kitchen cabinetry. She says, “It’s so important to have ample storage so everything has a place and nothing becomes ‘clutter.’”
5. Add a table for extra work space.
Antalek added a small kitchenette table next to the fridge and uses it as extra counter space for her cutting boards, a knife block, her Keurig coffee maker, and a handy fruit bowl. Tucked beneath the table are two bar stools so she can instantly convert her hardworking counter into a place to dine, work from home, or sit down and prep food for dinner.
Do you have more smart tips to add? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Source by www.thekitchn.com
